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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think "how to train your dragon" is not suitable for a 3.5 year old?

160 replies

alicethehorse · 07/07/2012 21:07

Lots of it is fine, but specifically the scenes with the fight with the big scary dragon at the end. DP thinks I'm putting ideas into DS's head by suggesting it is scary.

I think he's just too young to see those kind of images?

Please could I ask, if you've seen it, what age do you think it's suitable for?

Also, if you think IANBU, please could you help me explain why to DP?!

OP posts:
DoesBuggerAll · 07/07/2012 22:24

Motherofallhangovers, YANBU at all. I am utterly horrified at the sort of films mumsnetters are allowing their very young children to watch. We are talking about 3 year olds here, not 7 to 11 year olds, which PG films are aimed at. A 3 year old should not be exposed to such films at such a tender age. Doing so caused untold damage to their developing minds. Many 3 year olds are only just expanding their fluency in language and are learning how to relate to the world. People then expose them to all sorts of on screen horrors. I worry for the state of our world, I really do.

We took DD1 to see it at the cinema when she was 7.5, DD2 was just 6 and was desperate to go as well so we allowed her but didn't expect her to last the whole film. Sure enough after 20 mins or so she wanted out due to the loudness and scariness of the action. DW took her shopping while the older ones watched the rest of the film.

YouBrokeMySmoulder · 07/07/2012 22:29

Good grief DoesBuggerAll. It's How to Train Your Dragon not Reservoir Dogs.

And I really believe that how we talk to them and what we model for them are far more important than a DVD on at home that they wander in and out of and aren't that fussed by.

Onscreen horrors my arse. Constant adverts and gender reinforcement bollocks are much more insidious.

JarethTheGoblinKing · 07/07/2012 22:31

Arf

AmazingBouncingFerret · 07/07/2012 22:33

Yes DoesBuggerAll, allowing my 2 and a half year old DD and 5 and a half year old DS to watch an oversized computer animated flying lizard being poked in the eye is causing such untold damage.

Don't bother phoning SS I have them on hold already...

gordyslovesheep · 07/07/2012 22:35

My dd3 watched it with her sisters when she was about 3 - didn;t bat an eyelid and wasn't troubled by it - mind you she did wander in and out (DVD) - I don't think it will scar them for life but I guess it depends on the child

MrsReiver · 07/07/2012 22:56

Crumbs DoesBuggerAll - you must be horrified, DS is only 8 and has seen all LOTR, Star Wars (in the right order 4,5,6,1,2,3) and Harry Potters.

I suggest a lie down to contemplate the damage I have done to his developing mind.

WicketyPitch · 07/07/2012 22:57

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

LadyofWinterfell · 07/07/2012 23:05

DS loves it, has done for a while. He's 2.10. While the big dragon could be a bit scary, it's all about the achievement of the underdog and learning that by working together you can achieve anything. How can that be a bad lesson to learn?

He has also watched Iron man 1&2, transformers, and Harry potter (with his sisters). The programme that affected him the most is Kickin' it on the disney channel!

toothlessthenightfury · 07/07/2012 23:05

My Dd watched it at 3 and loved it.. Still does, as do I ( can you tell by username!)

DoesBuggerAll · 07/07/2012 23:13

My post was not just about How to Train Your Dragon but also about some of the other films mentioned. Now we even have Ghostbusters, Men in Black, Transformers, Iron Man, Harry Potter and Star Wars considered suitable viewing for the under threes. WTAF.

MavisGrind · 07/07/2012 23:22

I suppose that as well as dependant on the child I view it slightly as dependant on the form of film.

An animation is easily explained away as a cartoon so we can have dragons being thumped on screen, it's not really real. Live action, however, might have more of an impact as these are real people - it might actually happen.

Mind you it also depends on the context of the content. When my ds1 was 2 his favourite film was Pirates of the Carribean. He loved the pirates and just didn't realise what skeletons were so didn't see them as scary. I won't let him watch it now as he knows what it all means, and he doesn't want to watch it. Likewise ds1 is a huge Dr Who fan but he doesn't get why the Silence are scary - (he just thinks they're cool monsters) my DN,however, has worked it out and has decided not to watch it anymore.

Dependant on child, dependant on context, dependant on parent.

MrsReiver · 07/07/2012 23:26

Don't forget Spiderman, Thor, Captain America and The Avengers! We love a bit of Marvel in the Reiver house!

YouBrokeMySmoulder · 07/07/2012 23:31

The film under discussion here for a 3.5 year old is How to Train your Dragon though doesbuggerall. I actually wouldn't consider any of those others suitable for my particular child. Not only because of the content but because she wouldn't have a clue what was going on.

holyfishnets · 08/07/2012 01:06

My DS2 saw it aged 3.5 and loved every second! He is a second born though and well adjusted, not a sensitive PFB. My eldest would have had kittens watching it that young.

HerRoyalNotness · 08/07/2012 01:14

It depends on the child and their personality as others have said. My DS1 Was 2.5 when it cam out and he saw it. He is a HUGE movie buff and loves knights and dragons and swords. I'm just disappointed we will be on holiday when the roadshow for Dragon comes here. It's one of his all time favourites.

CuriosityCola · 08/07/2012 10:06

Jareth that his father didn't love him when he was different and not a fighter.

McHappyPants2012 · 08/07/2012 10:10

both my children have watched it and wasn't scared.

JarethTheGoblinKing · 08/07/2012 10:43

Fair enough curiosity :)
(he does apologise for it later on though :) )

openerofjars · 08/07/2012 10:47

I watch Game of Thrones and CSI with my pre-school DD.

Mind you, she is only 5 weeks old and can't really see the screen properly yet.

EndangeredOtter · 08/07/2012 11:07

Dd is also petrified of the blob in numberjacks! And of the film 'Chicken Little' had to turn it off after a while because she was crying :(

Big scary dragon's and dinosaurs though are fine...

HeadfirstForRomance · 08/07/2012 11:07

I can't remember how long ago it was but we saw it at the cinema when it came out, and our youngest is 4 1/2. They all enjoyed it!

Mine are all hard as nails though (stolen from another poster Grin)

My friends dds are slightly more wrapped in cotton wool though and cry at the slightest things in films! I don't know if that is because she treats them more sensitively or if it's just their nature.

nomorethan2thankyou · 08/07/2012 11:08

DD1 (aged 2.7) loves How to Train your Dragon. the fight scene is one of her favourite bits! she also loves the Toy Story and Shrek films, Monsters Inc, Monsters Versus Aliens, the Ice Age films (particularly the one with dinosaurs), Kung Fu Panda. not interested in any of the 'nice' films (except Tangled). i keep showing DD2 (age 7 months) scenes from the nice princess-y films when DD1 is at nursery but she also grins away at How to train your dragon. They're a lost cause.
it depends on your son though, no point showing something to him if you think he's going to be scared by it.

YouBrokeMySmoulder · 08/07/2012 12:49

ah but Curiousity, the father is taught to appreciate difference and have tolerance for it - its an uplifting message. And rare to see that sometimes happy endings are won at some cost too

squeakytoy · 08/07/2012 12:51

Many 3 year olds are only just expanding their fluency in language and are learning how to relate to the world. People then expose them to all sorts of on screen horrors. I worry for the state of our world, I really do.

I grew up with Tom and Jerry battering the hell out of each other.. I cant say it turned me into a psychopath! Grin

Whatmeworry · 08/07/2012 12:56

I grew up with Tom and Jerry battering the hell out of each other.. I cant say it turned me into a psychopath!

QED :)

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